Praised in The Wire (UK) for his “instrumental athleticism, technical precision and conceptual lucidity,” and his “capacity to stretch limits and redefine horizons,” Joseph Kubera has been a leading new-music pianist for the past four decades. Recently he directed Julius Eastman’s multiple-piano works in Los Angeles, New York and Europe, performed at the New England Conservatory, and recorded piano music by Daniel Goode, Lejaren Hiller and Laurie Spiegel. He has been a soloist at major European festivals and has worked closely with such luminaries as Morton Feldman, Robert Ashley, and La Monte Young. Composers who have written works for him include Larry Austin, Michael Byron, Anthony Coleman, Alvin Lucier, Roscoe Mitchell, and “Blue” Gene Tyranny.
A longtime Cage advocate, Kubera has made definitive recordings of Music of Changes and the Concert for Piano. He toured widely with the Merce Cunningham Dance Company at Cage’s invitation, along with David Tudor, David Behrman and Takehisa Kosugi. He is a core member of S.E.M. Ensemble, and has worked with Steve Reich and Musicians, New York New Music Ensemble, Jon Gibson Ensemble, Brooklyn Philharmonic, Roscoe Mitchell’s New Chamber Ensemble, the Robert Ashley band, Bowery Ensemble, and myriad others. He has collaborated with pianists Marilyn Nonken, Adam Tendler and Sarah Cahill, and baritone Thomas Buckner. Kubera has been awarded grants through the National Endowment for the Arts and the Foundation for Contemporary Arts. He has recorded for Wergo, New Albion, New World, Lovely Music, Tzadik, and many other labels.
Joseph Kubera | Pianist 